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Slovenia and the City of Ljubljana

Slovenia is a small and picturesque country and lies in the heart of Europe, where the Alps and the Pannonian plains meet the Mediterranean and the Karst. When in Slovenia, all of its many attractions are in the palm of your hand. It is just 210 km to the Slovenian border from Vienna, 230 km from Budapest, 430 km from Milan and 190 km from Venice.

Slovenia in Brief

Area

20,256 km2

Population

2 million

Capital

Ljubljana

Language

Slovenian

Climate

Alpine, Continental, Mediterranean

Time zone

Central European Time

Political system

Parliamentary democracy

Currency, Exchange Rates and Credit Card Services

Slovenia’ currency since January 2007 is the euro.
Information on exchange rates: http://www.nlb.si/cgi-bin/nlbweb.exe?doc=3940
Eurocard, Visa, Diners Club, American Express, and other cards are widely accepted in shops, hotels and restaurants.

City

Ljubljana lies in a basin between the Karst and the Alps, some 298 m above sea level. With its 280,000 inhabitants, it is one of the smaller European capitals yet it is big enough to encompass everything expected of a capital city while being small enough to allow people to retain their individuality.
In Ljubljana you will feel a mixture of Slavic charm and sincerity, as well as Mediterranean temperament and a touch of Nordic reserve. You will also be able to enjoy the city’s architecture, museums, archaeological sites, monuments, many theatres and one of the oldest philharmonic orchestras in the world.
More about tours of Ljubljana: http://www.visitljubljana.com/en/tours-and-excursions/
The city's increasingly vibrant commercial and trading life and rapid growth of foreign diplomatic representatives give it an ever greater cosmopolitan touch. Ljubljana offers a wide variety of cafes, pubs, bars and restaurants. Relief from the hustle and bustle of life in the capital can be found in the many parks and woodland areas which in some places extend almost right into the city center.

How to Get Here

Air: Jože Puc(nik Airport (http://www.lju-airport.si/eng), 25 km from the center of Ljubljana, has good connections with other European airports like Vienna, Munich, Frankfurt, London etc.
Transport from the airport to the main bus station in the center of Ljubljana is provided by:

There is a possibility to fly to the Airport Trieste, Italy and Airport Graz, Austria as well but it is not so easy and convenient to travel from Trieste or Graz to Ljubljana.

Rail: Ljubljana has good railway links with all large European cities. The railway station is located in the center of Ljubljana.

Bus: the bus station is located in the center of the city. Major transport companies offer student discounts of up to 22%. For more information, please visit: http://www.ap-ljubljana.si/eng.

Car: travelling by car can be the most convenient way to reach Slovenia from neighboring countries; however, finding a parking spot in the city center might prove difficult. However, our Faculty does have a public parking garage available.

The most efficient public transport in Ljubljana is the city bus system. City buses have an electronic payment system based on a no-contact smart card called Urbana. Urbana cards are electronic ticket carriers. You have two options:
- Value ticket: a single fare paid using pre-paid credit on the Urbana card that enables free transfers within 90 minutes.
- Locals and visitors to Ljubljana can now ride around the capital using new bicycles from Bicikelj, a self-service rent-a-bike system. 300 bicycles and 600 parking spots are available all year round at 31 stations in the wider city centre area. Website: http://en.bicikelj.si/

Shops

Working hours:
Weekdays: 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. (some are open to 9 p.m.).
Saturdays: 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. (some are open to 9 p.m.).
Sundays and holidays: most markets are open from 8 a.m. till 11 a.m. open are also on-duty pharmacies.

Eating Out

The influences of the East and West, North and South have mingled in Slovenia, a phenomenon reflected in some of Slovenia's traditional dishes. The city of Ljubljana offers a great variety of cuisine and prices. Most restaurants serve food until 11 p.m. and some carry on until early in the morning. There are also numerous specialized restaurants: Chinese, Italian, Mexican, Thai, Indian and Spanish.
Tips are not included in the price of a meal.
You can choose restaurants by taste and location using the list: http://www.restavracije-gostilne.si/ang/index.php?m=1&o

For more information and a free copy of a monthly event schedule in Ljubljana, contact the Tourist Information Center located in the city center at Stritarjeva 7
tel. 306 12 15
website: http://www.visitljubljana.si/en/

Climate

The climate in Ljubljana is Central European yet it is also subject to the influences of warm air from the Adriatic and cold air from the Alps. The average temperature is around 4℃ in winter and around 22℃ in summer. The daytime temperature in summer is usually 30℃.